Egypt State Information Service (SIS)

Egypt Deplores Comments on Court Rulings

Sunday، 17 May 2015 - 12:00 AM

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In response to comments made by several governments and non-governmental organizations on the decisions by the Cairo Criminal Court held today, May 16th 2015 at the Police Academy to refer the two cases known as the "Espionage case" and "Escape from Wadi Natrun Prison" case to the Grand Mufti for his opinion, the State Information Service condemns the comments as they reflect ignorance and lack of accuracy. The Cairo Criminal Court did not issue any judicial rulings in the two cases today, but has just made two decisions to refer the cases to the Mufti for his consultative opinion, and will issue the verdict in the two cases on June 2nd.

The State Information Service (SIS) emphasizes that, in accordance with the provisions of the Egyptian law, the defendants are being tried before a normal court and a normal judge and not before a special court, and that litigation is absolutely guaranteed for the defendants to ensure a fair trial. In the case of death sentences being issued in the two cases in the hearing scheduled on June 2nd, the defendants have the right to contest the sentences in front of the Court of Cassation. The Public Prosecution also has the right to appeal against the ruling even if the defense does not. The Court of Cassation has the right to either repeal the ruling and refer it to a different court for a retrial, or to confirm it. Even if the new court issues the same execution sentence, the defendants again have the right to contest the ruling; if they do so, the Court of Cassation itself will be tasked with issuing a verdict.

The SIS calls on all parties who have commented on the decisions to look thoroughly into the cases, in an objective manner that does not forego the nature of the charges against the defendants, as they were accused in the "Espionage Case" of plotting operations against the state, including attacks on security facilities and security personnel, killing and abducting police officers and personnel, in addition to attacks on prisons and sabotage of prison buildings, and killing prisoners. Mohamed Mursi and others are accused of spying for the benefit of foreign entities, disclosing secrets pertaining to the country's national security, and coordinating with militant groups inside the country and abroad to plot terrorist operations. As for "The Escape from Wadi Natroon Prison" case, the defendants are accused of plotting with foreign entities and the Global Muslim Brotherhood Organization to create a state of chaos in the country, training militias to conduct anti–state operations, attacking prisons, and assisting in the escape of prisoners.

The SIS asserts that the defendants have been accused of committing criminal acts that violate Egyptian law and are considered crimes in all countries that pay lip service to the principles of democracy. The reactions of these countries to today's decision constitute an unacceptable intrusion into the work of the Egyptian judicial system, and display a complete lack of respect for its procedures. They also represent a blatant disregard for the core principles of any true democratic system, at their fore being separation of powers, independence of the judiciary, and the inadmissibility of comments on the verdicts of the judiciary from foreign or domestic entities, as they are considered an infringement upon the independence of the judiciary.